Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: “Doesn’t the Younger Brother Have Higher Latent Potential?” ①

“Ah, sorry about that! A lot has been going on. But still… Kazuto, you’ve really grown up, haven’t you?”

“What are you talking about? We just met the day before yesterday, right?”

Kazuto, with three piercings in his left ear and wearing his uniform sloppily, might look like a frivolous guy at first glance, but he has always been a good kid.

Yuto, another childhood friend who claims to be Natsuki’s best friend, has always played mostly with girls since they were young. So Natsuki would often join Kazuto to run around the nearby forest, catching cicadas, beetles, and stag beetles, and even learned fishing from a local old man because they didn’t have the equipment for sweetfish fishing. Now, Natsuki isn’t as fond of bugs anymore, but takes pride in being quite skilled at fishing.

Being Yuto’s younger brother, Kazuto has had his share of struggles, more than Natsuki.

Girls, and even those who just got a bit close to him, often end up being captivated by Yuto. And it’s troublesome how Yuto doesn’t hesitate to make moves on the people Kazuto is close to, whether they are his friends’ crushes or close female friends.

When they entered junior high, a period when sensitivity to the opposite sex and sexuality increases, Yuto’s presence became bothersome, even to his juniors. Because of this, Kazuto nearly got bullied.

Back then, Natsuki handled the situation by explaining to the juniors that Yuto Miyahara was like a natural disaster, which fortunately resolved the situation. However, this incident led Kazuto to start acting out.

He began staying out and not returning home, hanging out with people of questionable character. Concerned, Natsuki had confrontations with Kazuto, even getting into physical fights late at night. Fortunately, as a result, Kazuto didn’t end up going down the wrong path.

There’s no need to waste precious teenage years because of Yuto.

Furthermore, he heard that Yuto had not only female but also male enthusiastic supporters.

At that time, he thought Yuto, who indiscriminately approached both genders, was creepy. Even now, after returning from another world and meeting Yuto again, his opinion hasn’t changed – he’s still creepy.

“Was that so? Well, whatever. So, what about the message?”

“It’s about Anzu. You know, I’m in the same class as Anzu. Because of my lousy brother getting a girlfriend, Anzu’s been acting weird. She was asking a lot about Natsuki-kun yesterday, so I thought something might have happened. Also, since Natsuki-kun dislikes Anzu, I wanted to tell you to be careful… but it seems I’m too late.”

“Sorry, even though you were concerned. This person, Anzu, came charging at me.”

Sighing, Natsuki explained to Kazuto.

Anzu had suddenly approached him, saying incomprehensible things about being upset by Yuto. Later, when Yuto found out Anzu had cried, Natsuki got punched.

“That’s unfortunate. But really, Anzu is strange, isn’t she?”

“Is she?”

“Yes, she is. I understand that Natsuki-kun isn’t interested, but I can’t just ignore it… Her personality isn’t great, but we have known each other for a long time.”

(…Come to think of it, Kazuto used to like Anzu. I don’t know about now, but I wonder if he’s still concerned about her?)

If Yuto had approached Noa, a girl whom he thought Natsuki liked, it’s conceivable that he deliberately made a move on Anzu, who is not only Natsuki’s stepsister but also Kazuto’s love interest.

However, there was no evidence of any mental manipulation like charm or brainwashing used on Anzu. At least, as far as Natsuki could tell, nothing had been done to her.

The initial trigger might have been a charm, but Anzu had liked Yuto of her own volition until now, so it seemed like a ‘to each their own’ situation, regardless of what Yuto was like.

Yet, if Kazuto still harbors feelings for Anzu, he wonders if something should be done about it. 

Personally, he thinks a girl who constantly insults her stepmother and brother, throws tantrums, and refuses to acknowledge her own faults is not suitable for Kazuto.

“Several girls in my class are acting strangely, especially Eri Tabuchi.”

“Eri Tabuchi?”

“You really don’t pay attention to others, do you? She’s the cutest girl in the second year and popular even among the upperclassmen. Although, she’s already been approached by my annoying brother.”

“…Really, that idiot is too quick with his hands.”

“And it seems he’s seriously involved with her… and there are others like that as well.”

Natsuki is astounded by Yuto’s swiftness.

For a virgin like Natsuki, the idea of having a physical relationship with a girl who isn’t a romantic partner is incomprehensible.

He wonders if there’s any love in that, or if the girls are okay with it.

Even with the charm, Yuto’s power isn’t that strong or infallible.

(With a handsome face and a good approach to girls, maybe his charm is just a minor accent to his natural ability to woo girls?)

“Eri Tabuchi suddenly collapsed after school yesterday, and since then, she seems to be avoiding my brother. Even when he comes to see her, she hides behind her friends. Before, she would run towards him even if he didn’t call her.”

“…Hmm. But, how is her relationship with others around her?”

“She’s a really nice girl. Unlike Anzu, she doesn’t hurl insults at me or Natsuki-kun, and even when my brother is with other girls, she always has a smile. That’s why we never had a bad impression of her, and always thought she was earnest.”

“And how do others react to Anzu?”

“I don’t really like saying this, but… they call her a characterless brat, annoying, selfish, too many complaints about people, tries too hard to ingratiate herself, ‘Be more like Tabuchi-san,’ and stuff like that.”

“You say you don’t want to say it, but you sure do!”

Hahahaha, Natsuki and Kazuto laughed heartily at this before simultaneously slumping their shoulders.